TUSIAD Turkey Letter: November 18, 2014

Foreign Policy

  • Turkey’s decision on anti-missile system likely in early 2015
  • Turkish PM discusses Iraq-Syria crisis with Obama
  • Turkish envoy named as senior NATO representative in Afghanistan
  • Davutoğlu reveals plans for G-20 chair
  • Turkey, US meet to discuss training of Syrian rebels
  • US Vice President Joe Biden due to visit Turkey on Nov 21

Economy and Energy

  • Turkey pledges support to US call for growth boost
  • Turkey’s jobless rate rises to double digits for first time in 6 months
  • Economic distress in Russia to have toll on Turkish economy

Domestic Politics

  • Gov’t, HDP carefully reopen dialogue channels
  • Turkish government fiercely rules out third-party involvement in peace process
  • Almost 400 people arrested due to Oct 6-7 Kobane unrest

Foreign Policy

Turkey’s decision on anti-missile system likely in early 2015
A final decision on Turkey’s disputed contract for the construction of the country’s first long-range air and anti-missile defense system will most likely come in early 2015, a senior defense official said in an interview with the prominent U.S.-based defense journal Defense News.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 13, 2014, Turkey’s decision on anti-missile system likely in early 2015

Turkish PM discusses Iraq-Syria crisis with Obama
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu discussed the crisis in Syria and Iraq with U.S. President Barack Obama on Nov. 15, according to the Turkish Prime Ministry.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 15, 2014, Turkish PM discusses Iraq-Syria crisis with Obama

Turkish envoy named as senior NATO representative in Afghanistan
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed Ambassador İsmail Aramaz as the next NATO senior civilian representative (SCR) in Afghanistan, the alliance said in a written statement Nov 17.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Turkish envoy named as senior NATO representative in Afghanistan

Davutoğlu reveals plans for G-20 chair
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu called for a more inclusive Group of 20 forum on Nov. 14, saying it would give lower-income nations a stronger voice when Turkey takes over the presidency for 2015.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 14, 2014, Davutoğlu reveals plans for G-20 chair

Turkey, US meet to discuss training of Syrian rebels
Military officials from the United States and Turkey are meeting for a third time to finalize discussions on equipping and training moderate Syrian rebels, as U.S. media outlets report that Washington is considering a shift in in its Syria policy.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 14, 2014, Turkey, US meet to discuss training of Syrian rebels

US Vice President Joe Biden due to visit Turkey on Nov 21
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will have talks in Turkey on Nov. 21 as part of his trip including Morocco and Ukraine, according to diplomatic sources.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 12, 2014, US Vice President Joe Biden due to visit Turkey on Nov 21

Economy and Energy

Turkey pledges support to US call for growth boost
Turkey is backing the United States’ call to boost demand and step up growth policies, the prime minister has said during the G-20 summit, siding with the country’s trans-Atlantic ally against a Germany-led group that has advised heeding financial disciplinary risks.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Turkey pledges support to US call for growth boost

Turkey’s jobless rate rises to double digits for first time in 6 months
Turkey’s unemployment rate increased to 10.1 percent in August from 9.8 percent the previous month, in line with slowing economic growth figures.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Turkey’s jobless rate rises to double digits for first time in 6 months

Economic distress in Russia to have toll on Turkish economy
The pressure on the Russian economy and the contraction in its market have begun to affect Turkey, dealing a blow to its exports and tourism revenues. An increase in the perception of risk in the region is also damaging confidence in Turkey’s economy.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Economic distress in Russia to have toll on Turkish economy

Domestic Politics

Gov’t, HDP carefully reopen dialogue channels
Turkey’s government and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) staged a make-or-break meeting in Ankara on Nov. 17, with both sides emerging to release carefully constructed announcements to help the dialogue channels remain open on the country’s slow-moving Kurdish peace process.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Gov’t, HDP carefully reopen dialogue channels

Turkish government fiercely rules out third-party involvement in peace process
“This process is a local process,” Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan said yesterday in an apparent response to the PKK’s demand for an international mediator, possibly the United States, to help get peace talks with Turkey back on track and avert an escalation of their insurgency.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 17, 2014, Turkish government fiercely rules out third-party involvement in peace process

Almost 400 people arrested due to Oct 6-7 Kobane unrest
According to figures provided by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, just under 400 people have been arrested so far in relation to the Oct. 6-7 unrest.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, November 13, 2014, Almost 400 people arrested due to Oct 6-7 Kobane unrest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.